John Kakule jailed for more than six years for raping a woman in Mount Gambier

A married father is behind bars after raping a woman in a horrific attack only days after promising he’d never do it again.

A married father will be behind bars for a long time after he betrayed the trust of a vulnerable woman by raping her.

John Kakule, 48, was jailed for over six years for the horrific attack after trying to claim it was a consensual affair.

During sentencing on Tuesday, the District Court heard Kakule assisted the victim by driving her around Mount Gambier.
The court heard Kakule made numerous sexual advances towards her, which she refused and sent her pornographic videos.

Kakule then took the victim to a secluded area in 2019 before attempting to rape her.

John Kakule was jailed for more than six years for the rapes. Photo: Facebook

The court heard Kakule eventually stopped and told the woman he would never do it again before driving her home.

Two days later Kakule and the victim were at his house when he approached her.

The court heard Kakule indecently assaulted the woman after she tried to run away from him before raping her twice.

Kakule was found guilty by a jury of assault with intent to rape and two counts of rape.

He argued during the trial the first incident did not happen and the rape at his house was consensual sexual intercourse.
A victim impact statement was read to the District Court last month by prosecutor Tomas Macura.

The victim said she lost her relationship with a relative – her only family in Australia – because they chose to believe Kakule’s lies.

“I know in John’s heart he knows what he did – he is too ashamed to speak the truth,” she wrote.

The victim said Kakule had forced her out of her local community due to the shame she felt.
“I will always feel shame even though this is not my fault … he took advantage of me,” she said.

The court heard Kakule fled to Australia from Congo as a refugee after witnessing significant violence, including the murder of his parents and siblings.
The court heard Kakule, who was a married father of seven children, had previously worked as a dental technician.
Judge Michael Durrant said the victim was vulnerable as she new to the Mount Gambier community and relied on Kakule for help.
“You exploited her vulnerability and betrayed her trust,” he said.
“Your victim repeatedly denied your sexual advances and your offending was both planned and premeditated.”
Judge Durrant sentenced Kakule to six years and two months jail, with a non-parole period of three years and five months.
The sentence was backdated to February 27.

Originally published as John Kakule jailed for more than six years for raping a woman in Mount Gambier